Every experienced operator has a story about the location that looked great and sold nothing. Usually it failed on one of two things: the foot traffic was real but the captive time was near zero, or there was a free or cheaper alternative within sight. A short checklist catches both before you invest a machine and months of service trips.
#1. Foot traffic, and what kind
Raw headcount matters less than the type of traffic:
- Captive traffic: employees, patients, residents, students who are there for hours with limited options. This is the strongest signal.
- Dwell traffic: people waiting: laundromats, service waiting rooms, transit. Strong if the wait is long enough to get bored and hungry.
- Pass-through traffic: people moving through a lobby or hallway. Weakest. High counts here rarely convert.
#2. Headcount and hours
Get a real number. For a workplace, ask how many people are on site, on how many shifts, and how many days a week. A "200-person company" that is 60% remote is a 80-person location.
| Location signal | Weak | Workable | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-site headcount | Under 40 | 40–100 | 100+ |
| Days occupied per week | 3 or fewer | 4–5 | 6–7 |
| Alternatives within 3 min | Store or cafeteria | Another machine | None |
| Average dwell time | Under 2 min | 10–30 min | 1 hr+ |
#3. Competition and alternatives
Walk the space. Is there a staffed cafeteria, a convenience store next door, a competing machine, or a well-stocked office kitchen that management pays for? Any of these caps your ceiling. A machine can still work next to an alternative if it is more convenient or open longer hours, but price and expectations should reflect it.
#4. Physical access
- Can you get a machine through the doors and to the spot without a liftgate problem?
- Is there a dedicated, grounded outlet near the location?
- Can you service it during the hours you would actually drive there?
- Is it visible, or tucked in a corner nobody walks past?
#5. The relationship
Who is championing the machine internally, and will they still be there in a year? A machine placed by an office manager who leaves often gets deprioritized by their replacement. A machine the staff asked for tends to be protected.
#6. The commission ask
If the location expects a commission, factor it in now. A strong location that wants 20% can still beat a mediocre one that wants nothing. Weigh the commission against the traffic and headcount signals above before you agree to a number.